One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
Psalm 145:4
Legacy Legacy Forward
The word “legacy” reminds us that what we do in our time on this planet matters. For 25 years, the faithful believers of Pusch Ridge Christian Academy have invested in something that truly matters: providing excellent education to children and youth within a Christian community. This Kingdom work has manifested itself in hundreds of Christian leaders impacting the world with the love of Christ and the truth that sets people free. God has expanded the PRCA mission to include three campuses and approximately 1000 students benefiting from our classical, Christian education that takes root within our covenantal community God has been so faithful to build His school and lead His students to become like Christ
The PRCA 2030 Strategic Plan reflects a determined effort to build on the great work of the past and move the legacy forward. Our strategic planning team, with thoughtful input from CFC elders, the PRCA school board, faculty, staff, parents, and student leaders, has dedicated over a year to seeking God’s direction to the initiatives that will guide His school for the next five years We will be refining the scope of Classical Christian education at PRCA and how that impacts every area of school life Building an Aspirational Culture of grace and truth will also be a priority as we seek to fulfill our mission of leading students to become like Christ Our strategic priorities include Faculty Support, a commitment to recruit and retain excellent faculty and staff to carry out the PRCA mission on three campuses In order to support these initiatives well, we will be looking at Culturally Consistent Growth, seeking the Lord for His best plan for enrollment and campus development. Finally, we will continue to grow strategically in Financial Stewardship, planning well for long-term provision and stewarding God’s faithfulness well.
Thank you to all who have played a role in this process and to all who will partner with us in realizing these strategic objectives God has positioned Pusch Ridge Christian Academy to impact our nation and world in even greater ways as we move the legacy forward together
John Tyler Head of Schools / Headmaster
Wesley Mehl Chairman, PRCA School Board
THE MISSION OF PUSCH RIDGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IS TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST THROUGH A CLASSICAL, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION WITHIN A COVENANTAL COMMUNITY.
SERVANT LEADER
JUSTICE KEEPER VIRTUOUS
STEWARD
COURAGEOUS CHRISTIAN
TRUTH SEEKER
Truth Seeker
Understands that all Truth is God's Truth
Recognizes and embraces Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in all areas of life
Fellowships with God and His community to arrive at the Truth
Is a lifelong learner and is transformed over time
Servant Leader
Serves others humbly and sacrificially
Seeks to glorify God, not self
Demonstrates integrity
Imitates Christ
Justice Keeper
Defends the helpless and defenseless
Loves extravagantly, just as Christ does
Hates what is evil, holds fast to what is good
Recognizes justice is to be balanced with mercy
Virtuous Steward
Knows that all things come from God and belong to God
Cares for all of Creation
Uses his or her God-given gifts for the good of others
Participates in Christ's work of redemption
Courageous Christian
Is confident in his or her identity in Christ
Has experienced the mercy and redemption of Christ
Perseveres through failure and hardship
Overcomes fear to communicate and defend the truth
THE PROCESS BEGINS
INCOMING HEAD OF SCHOOLS AND PRCA SCHOOL BOARD MEET TO FORMALLY LAUNCH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
P R O C E S S
2023 MARCH
STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM FORMED
SP TEAM MEETS TO DEFINE THE 5 INITIATIVES AND ASSIGN A SUB-TEAM TO EXPLORE EACH ONE
2024 JAN
DATA COMPILATION
THE FIVE TEAMS CONDUCT INTERVIEWS AND REVIEW SURVEY DATA TO DEVELOP STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
2024 MARCH
PROPOSALS SUBMITTED AND REVIEWED
SP TEAM RECEIVES AND REVIEWS THE INITIATIVES PROPOSED BY THE SUB-TEAMS
2023 SEPT
FIRST DRAFT REVIEW
PRCA LEADERSHIP PROVIDES INPUT TO PRODUCE A FINAL FORM STRATEGIC PLAN
2024 AUG
STRATEGIC PLAN PUBLICATION
PRCA ADVANCEMENT TEAM SHARES THE FINAL PLAN IN DIGITAL AND PRINT FORMATS
2025 APRIL EXECUTION BEGINS
PRCA LEADERSHIP TEAMS ARE ASSIGNED SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TO FULFILL.
I N I T I A T I V E S 5
A CORE COMPONENT OF THE MISSION OF PRCA SEEKS TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST USING THE FRAMEWORK OF A CLASSICAL EDUCATION – ONE WHICH CHALLENGES THE STUDENT TO CONSIDER THE GREAT LINEAGE OF THINKERS AND IDEAS WHICH HAVE SHAPED THE WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY IN ORDER THAT THEY WILL BE ENCOURAGED ON THEIR JOURNEY TO BE WISE AND VIRTUOUS YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN PREPARED TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD AS BOTH SALT AND LIGHT.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1.1
Develop a definition of Classical Christian Education suited to the unique mission of PRCA. [2025]
Classical Christian Education has various applications at schools across the country and requires tailoring for the unique mission of PRCA. We aim to develop a definition that is clearly stated and easily understood by our families, teachers and the community. The primary goal of education at PRCA is the cultivation of wisdom and eloquence in tandem with a love of learning.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1.2
Evaluate all K-12 curricula & programs for their alignment with our Classical Christian Education. [2028-29]
Our classical orientation must serve as our benchmark for programs and content, and the current offerings will be evaluated to ensure consistency with that standard. This serves to ensure that each individual grade level is consistent in delivering classical Christ-centered learning and confirms that our entire curriculum, kindergarten through 12th grade, is aligned and progresses systematically with these goals in mind. This evaluation then will extend to all other program offerings in our school system from fine arts to athletics, our House System and expeditionary learning opportunities.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1.3
Develop new metrics to advance success in achieving desired educational outcomes. [2026-27]
We desire to be accountable to see our mission lived out in the lives of our students & graduates. New metrics will be instituted at various checkpoints throughout the student’s educational career at PRCA to evaluate the effectiveness of our classical Christian approach.
IN AN ASPIRATIONAL CULTURAL MODEL, EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY GROWS IN GRACE TOGETHER, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE ALL FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD (ROMANS 3:23) AS THE MINISTRY OF A GOSPEL-CENTERED CHURCH, PRCA SEEKS TO LEAD STUDENTS TO ASPIRE TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.1
Build a comprehensive aspirational school culture model. [2025-26]
PRCA is built on encouragement and growth in excellence, rather than mere performance and competition. Thus, our Portrait of a Graduate is best understood as a guiding North Star rather than a checklist of behaviors. We will evaluate every area of our school program for alignment with this aspirational model.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.2
Orient PRCA to its spiritual role in relation to church and home. [2026-27]
It is a challenge to be an authentic Christian educational ministry without duplicating church ministry or encroaching into or discouraging parental responsibility. We seek to define a supplementary discipleship role that builds upon the ministry of our families and pastors.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.3
Cultivate full partnership in the covenantal aspect of PRCA. [2027-28]
The PRCA mission requires a vital relationship between school, church, and home. This requires that school and parental expectations are clear, with accountability in the way we communicate and treat one another. This alignment will be required to become and remain a member of this community.
THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR SCHOOL IS THE FACULTY WHO SERVE EVERY DAY IN AN ERA OF UPHEAVAL AND ALIENATION IN THE EDUCATION PROFESSION, WE LOOK TO INCREASE OUR COMMITMENT TO VALUING AND EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERS.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3.1
Attract and recruit excellent Christian faculty and staff. [2026-27]
PRCA strives to attract well qualified faculty and staff who are called by the Lord by serving in education. We aim to refine and improve our strategy to recruit the best Christian educators who are interested in our unique mission and distinct classical model.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3.2
Invest in the professional growth and personal development of our team. [2027-28]
Once a part of the PRCA team, we desire to provide our faculty & staff with growth opportunities through dedicated professional development. Investing in our teachers includes fostering a collaborative environment with distinctly Christian values.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 3.3
Develop and implement a plan to retain excellent teachers and leaders. [2025-26]
With already excellent faculty and staff, it is essential to create a system which values longevity. We will create a program that honors and supports teachers who have dedicated their careers to teaching at PRCA.
THE LORD HAS BLESSED PRCA GREATLY OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED RAPID GROWTH, ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IT IS VITAL THAT WE DEVELOP A STRATEGIC GROWTH PLAN THAT ENSURES CONSISTENCY WITH THE CHRISTIAN, CLASSICAL, COVENANTAL MISSION OF PRCA.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4.1
Prioritize our Christian, covenantal, and classical mission over numerical growth. [2025]
Although we desire to be an accessible, welcoming school for those families that are part of the covenantal community of Christ, a covenantal school is necessarily limited in its growth function. This steers us firmly away from growth for growth’s sake, and toward a high community standard of true fidelity to our mission.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4 2
Build a plan for the proper scope, phasing, and construction of the South Campus. [2026-27]
Our South Campus is an exceptional blessing from the Lord, receiving national attention as one of the first private, Christian, urban, dual language immersion, classical schools in the country. As our current students march forward through the elementary level grades, it is imperative that we accurately plan for student education at the upper levels. Demographic and psychographic studies will be used to provide reliable data to forecast our growth potential on the southside of Tucson, and guide our development plans.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4 3
Evaluate options to manage the enrollment differential between Grammar and Upper Campuses. [2027-28] PRCA enjoys robust Upper Campus enrollment that is more than double the size of our Grammar Campus on a grade-by-grade basis. This “inverted pyramid” creates a cultural challenge in our Middle School, as more than half of our incoming 6th grade is populated by students from other schools. Demographic and psychographic studies will be used to provide reliable data from Northwest Tucson as we seek the Lord’s plan for how to best address this differential.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 4.4
Build a stewardship plan for all PRCA campus facilities. [2028-29]
PRCA has become an extensive, three-campus educational ministry. As we have grown, so too have the competing demands for facilities, which in some cases results in suboptimal compromises in the use of various spaces. An operational plan for continued development of existing facilities, maintenance, transportation, and overall facility utilization is paramount as we look to the future.
PRCA IS BLESSED TO BE ON FIRM FINANCIAL FOOTING, WITH NO DEBT. AS WE SEEK TO HONOR THE LORD THROUGH CONTINUED WISE STEWARDSHIP OF RESOURCES, WE WILL IMPLEMENT NEW INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO BUILD UPON OUR SUCCESS TO DATE AND CONTINUE TOWARD A PROSPEROUS FUTURE.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5 1
Build operational reserves. [2028-29]
Year after year, the Lord has provided the financial resources to continue forward in excellence. PRCA has grown to a 900+ student, three-campus organization. The school is in a solid cash position. We will follow best practices to create and execute a strategy for intentional savings to prepare for future challenges.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5.2
Establish a PRCA endowment fund. [2029-30]
We are grateful for the years of generous support by the donors that are committed to the mission of PRCA. To help ensure continued success in the long-term, we will broaden our strategy to include legacy giving that will provide another revenue stream for the future of the school
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5.3
Create a comprehensive advancement strategy. [2027-28]
Our development department has done an excellent job of building relationships with current and potential donors. Our growth demands a comprehensive strategy for advancement of the mission. PRCA has the potential to extend our reach beyond southern Arizona through marketing and intentional connections with like-minded regional and national organizations
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5.4
Advocate for Arizona school choice in support of PRCA mission. [2025]
Arizona has been a leader in the national school choice movement for decades, but educational freedoms for Arizona families are at risk. Currently, 90% of our families receive ESA or STO funding for their children, and these programs are being threatened by regulation and opposition We need to mobilize our school community to engage on these issues
Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
Psalm 102:18
L E G A C Y F O R W A R D 2 0 3 0
THANK YOU
STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM
David Adams
Judy Davidson
Wesley Mehl
Mandy Rhodes
Jordan Raikes
Olga Tarro
John Tyler
SUB TEAMS
Team 1
Amy Hart
Jason Howlett
Daniel Kenneston
Christine Moon
Brian Rafacz
Jordan Raikes
Team 2
David Adams
Rachel Hesse
Matt Peyton
John Stone
Valerie Turner
John Tyler
Team 3
Jason Clapero
Shari Colson
Terri Cropp
Andrew Eslinger
Sarah Kirk
Christy Mays
Mandy Rhodes
Team 4
Jonathon Basurto
Jason Cann
Shelle Ensio
Wesley Mehl
Special thanks to all of our collaborating partners in this journey:
Catalina Foothills Church Elders
PRCA School Board
PRCA Executive Team
PRCA Faculty and Staff
Covenant Parent Advisory Team
PRCA Student Leadership
Lesley Sasse | Research
Karen Dresback | Graphic Design
All of the individuals and families that will carry this legacy forward!
Team 5
Judy Davidson
Heath Pulver
Olga Tarro
John Van Egmond
Mike Vick
